KEY POINTS
- The Seplat Energy PLC and NNPC Limited Joint Venture (JV) has screened 23,447 patients for eye defects over a nine-year period.
- At the 2026 edition launch in Owerri, officials revealed that the “Eye Can See” program has performed 797 surgeries and distributed 13,525 free glasses to date.
- The 2026 intervention alone has already reached over 2,100 beneficiaries in host communities.
- Beyond eye care, the initiative includes screenings for high blood pressure and diabetes, providing professional counseling and drug referrals.
MAIN STORY
Seplat Energy and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) have reaffirmed their commitment to the health of their host communities with the launch of the 2026 “Eye Can See” initiative.
Speaking in Owerri on Thursday, Mrs. Chioma Afe, Director of External Affairs and Social Performance at Seplat, noted that the program is a vital response to the rising cost of medical care, which has placed essential eye services out of reach for many Nigerians.
The initiative, which has been a cornerstone of the JV’s social investment since 2012, focuses on restoring vision through free cataract surgeries and corrective lenses.
The program operates on a holistic health model. While the primary focus is vision, every patient undergoes a comprehensive check for underlying conditions like hypertension and diabetes. Mrs. Esther Icha, representing Seplat at the event, emphasized that the goal is to drive deep penetration into rural communities where access to specialists is limited.
This alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing) underscores the JV’s broader strategy of delivering high-impact social investments that provide immediate relief to stakeholders at the grassroots level.
THE ISSUE
The primary challenge addressed is the “Healthcare Affordability Gap” in oil-producing host communities. Many residents suffer from preventable blindness due to a lack of early screening or the inability to fund simple surgical procedures.
There is also the “Silent Killer” factor, where patients seeking eye care are often unaware of chronic conditions like diabetes that can lead to permanent vision loss if left untreated. By integrating general health screenings into the “Eye Can See” framework, the Seplat-NNPCL JV is attempting to catch these systemic health issues early, reducing the long-term burden on local healthcare facilities.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
- “The cost of eye care has gone out of reach for many, making it imperative for the NNPC and Seplat JV to sustain the programme,” stated Mrs. Chioma Afe, Director at Seplat Energy.
- “The goal is not just eye care but to support welfare and more prosperous communities,” noted Olanrewaju Igandan, Acting Chief Upstream Investment Officer, NUIMS.
- “It was a wonderful experience… I trust God that my sight will be wonderful. God will bless them,” remarked Dr. Fred Nnamdi, a beneficiary of the 2026 edition.
- “This initiative has seen the JV partners restore not just vision but hope to many members of host communities,” added Bunmi Lawson, representing NUIMS.
WHAT’S NEXT
- The 2026 edition of the “Eye Can See” program will continue its rollout across other designated host communities in the coming months.
- Technical teams from Seplat and NNPCL will monitor the post-operative recovery of surgery patients to ensure successful clinical outcomes.
- The Joint Venture also plans to expand its database of screened patients to better coordinate future referrals and follow-up drug distributions.
- Finally, the partners are exploring ways to integrate more digital diagnostic tools into the mobile screening units to increase the speed and accuracy of rural consultations.
BOTTOM LINE
The bottom line is that Seplat and NNPCL are using vision restoration as a bridge to community stability. By screening over 23,000 people and tackling “hidden” ailments like high blood pressure, the “Eye Can See” initiative proves that corporate social responsibility is most effective when it addresses the immediate, physical needs of the people. For the thousands who have received free glasses or surgeries, the partnership has quite literally changed how they see their future.
 have reaffirmed their commitment to the health of their...){kind=link}